[unreadable] This application requests continued support for a combined adult-pediatric GI research training program. The objective of the program is to prepare pre-and postdoctoral fellows for investigative careers in digestive diseases by training them in basic research utilizing molecular, genetic and cellular methods or in clinical research through formal studies in clinical science/epidemiology. The training faculty represents 4 major areas of interest: 1) growth regulation: proliferation and apoptosis, 2) maintenance of epithelial integrity, 3) enteric neuroscience, and 4) clinical epidemiology and outcomes research. Each group is led by an NIH funded senior faculty member. There is extensive collaboration between trainers and all of them have training experience and independent research funding. Basic laboratory research training will be carried out under the direction of a preceptor selected from the trainers included in our application. An advisory committee will oversee the training and assist the preceptor in selecting a project and in experimental design. Didactic courses in basic science departments will be required by the advisory committee for trainees who do not have formal training in basic science. The clinical epidemiology trainees will be supervised by a clinician-scientist preceptor. An advisory committee will oversee their training and assist in designing their research project. Physician trainees wilt be free from all clinical duties except the continuity clinic during their research and course work. Five regular postdoctoral positions are requested. Two positions will be available for pediatric digestive disease trainees, two for adult digestive disease trainees, and one is unspecified. Two predoctoral positions are requested to expand our digestive disease program. In addition, two summer minority positions are requested. This training proposal has been instrumental in the development of digestive disease research at Vanderbilt. During our past funding period we have supported 16 individuals from our GI Training proposal (detailed in our Summary of Research Trainees section). 8 of these individuals are presently still engaged in training. 7 of the 8 individuals who have finished training have taken academic positions and 1 has taken a research position in Industry. Of our 16 trainees from the past period, 4 were women and 1 was a minority (American Indian). We are encouraged by our ability to successfully train academic investigators. 6 of the 8 individuals currently in training are currently planning careers in academic medicine [unreadable] [unreadable]